


23 emotions they all feel, but can't explain

by BucketLover



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Light Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-08-20 20:04:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20233609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BucketLover/pseuds/BucketLover
Summary: Tales of love and passion, of friendships and found family. Stories of war and revenge and sorrows, but above all else dreams.The sea is vast and so are their ambitions. Until they breathe their final breaths their journey will not end. The waves will always bring them closer, so much closer to their goals and the blue skies will watch over them andnothingwill stand in their way.-------Chapter 4:“There is one thing that makes me want to stay. That is my desire to see you fulfill your dream. But I’m sure you can do it, because you are my brother!”Ace couldn’t help the smile on his face. He knew Luffy would be able to do it, even if he won’t be there to see him. For once, his little brother wasn’t alone.





	1. Énouement

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the beginning of a series of one shots that I might end up finishing? If the feedback is good then I will do my best! If not then I don't think I will be able to work too fast. Anyway, enjoy!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Énouement:** The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turned out, but not being able to tell your past self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Writing Law crying over Cora-san? It's more likely than you think. Enjoy!!! :D

Law opened his eyes to a bright light. It took him a moment to remember where he was but the face of Usopp-ya sleeping half on the bed half on the floor, brought him back. He glanced around the room. Straw Hat-ya was still asleep (it would be strange if he wasn’t) snoring peacefully with a doopy smile on his face. Cyborg-ya and Nico-ya were snuggled together in a corner which came as more of a surprise than it should have been. It’s not like it concerned Law though, so he moved his gaze away immediately. Kyros-ya was sleeping under a blanket and Zoro-ya was leaning on the wall with his hands behind his head. 

It was odd how peaceful it was, but Law guessed even the Straw Hats could be quiet in slumber after such a great battle left them weary. 

During his first night on the Thousand Sunny, Law found out the hard way what it meant to sleep in the same room as two or more Straw Hats. Since they were capable of having entire conversations in their sleep, Law wasn’t able to rest and he decided to sleep outside near the main mast every night after that. Though he could hardly call it sleeping. Doflamingo had weighed on his mind and he couldn't really find rest the nights before their fight.

Doflamingo… He was dealt with now and Law even managed to stay alive to see it through. Only a week ago, he would have found that possibility laughable. But now, here he was, being able to rest peacefully and it was all thanks to Straw Hat-ya. No… to Luffy. 

Law stood up and placed his hat on his head. He glanced at the sleeping figure of the other pirate captain. He owed him, Law thought, though he would never admit it out loud. Luffy walked into his life and solved all of his problems and even saved him from certain death. Law never really expected things to turn out like this. He was grateful, of course, but he doesn’t know if he would ever be able to repay Luffy for what he has done. 

Feeling someone’s gaze on the back of his neck, Law turned his head to find Zoro-ya looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He’s been caught staring and he didn’t think he had a good excuse. Law opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when nothing came out. He looked away from the swordsman hoping that he’ll be left alone. The situation made him feel slightly embarrassed and he felt heat creep up his neck. Fortunately, Zoro-ya must have gotten bored because when Law looked at him again, he dozed off. 

With a sigh, Law picked up Kikoku and walked past the door in the cool morning air. He stepped through the field of sunflowers enjoying the feeling of the breeze on his skin. He stopped near the edge of the cliff and sat down watching as the people got up and began working towards fixing their houses. 

It was a surreal sight. Everyone working together to repair the damage inflicted only a day before. Vendors, not caring about any profit gave away food and building materials, while carpenters didn’t charge anyone for the work done. Men and women alike were running around, each person helping other people however they could. It was hard to believe that a tyrant like Doflamingo has been the one leading these people for so long. 

He was gone, Law had to keep reminding himself because even after everything he still had some trouble believing it. It’s been so long since he first stepped in Doflamingo’s base covered in explosives. His chest was getting heavier with each moment as he thought about everything that had led him to where he was now.

Law took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the fresh, humid air filled his lungs. This is what freedom felt like, he realized as tears began sliding down his cheeks. He didn’t try to hide his tears or his sobs. No one would see him here and maybe for once he could let out everything that he had kept inside him for such a long time. 

The sun was rising over the hills, its rays warming Law’s skin. This sunrise caught him crying his heart out, for once not out of his despair, but out of pure happiness and relief. He found it ironic how this same sun had look upon him after he had lost his family and Cora-san. This same sun had looked at him lose himself in hatred and now here he was, free after years of imprisonment to someone he once thought could help him accomplish his wish. 

Back then, that wish was one of cruelty. He wanted to kill, to murder to make as many people as possible feel the pain that he felt and he actually thought that joining Doflamingo and killing until he himself would waste away was what he wanted. And maybe it was back then, but after he learned that he could live, that he was allowed to and after Cora-san gave his life in exchange for Law’s own, he was supposed to be happy. But he couldn’t be.

His wish became so much more. What he needed was to finish what Cora-san started. To put down Doflamingo for good and end his reign and maybe, maybe after all that he would be free. Even if it meant taking down the whole world and himself in order to get his revenge, he didn’t care one bit about others or even his own life and he would do it all over again if he had to. 

He never believed he would live to see that happen, but he was grateful. Because now he could finally live the life Cora-san had wanted him to.

He briefly wondered what it would have been like if he would have been told things would turn out like this. He probably would have scoffed and cut up the unfortunate person who dared speak of things such as hope, but after thinking back to the kind of anger he felt as a child he wanted to go back as he was now and comfort him, tell him all was going to be fine. Tell him to keep holding on, to keep living because he won't be suffering for naught. Because things _will_ change.

Alas, such a thing was not possible and Law had to settle for now and the future, something that never really came to his mind before. The thought brought a smile to his face as the tears finally dried. 

Law suddenly felt someone staring at him from behind, but when he turned around, there was no one. For less than a moment, a few strands of blond hair and a faint heart patterned shirt ghosted on the corner of his eye. He had a feeling that it wasn’t something as simple as a trick of light so he whispered against the winds which seemed to whisper back to him, something that sounded like a hum of agreement.

“Cora-san, I’m finally free!”


	2. Jouska

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Jouska**: A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, another chapter! Look at this! I'm actually posting! Enjoy!!!

“Hey, Dadan,” Sabo whispered the wind almost muffling his voice. “It’s me, Sabo! It’s been a long time, huh?” 

He closed his eyes, the sweet memories of his childhood resurfacing for what had to be the hundred time that day. “I’m back. Sorry, I kept you guys waiting for so long. I can try to explain, but, you see, it’s very complicated. I’m just glad I’m back if only for a little while. I will tell you everything, I promise, but for now, I'm just happy to be here again..”

Sabo sighed feeling the heaviness on his shoulders disappearing if only briefly. “Dadan, I never got to thank you. You’ve done a lot for me and I am grateful,” Sabo said his voice cracking near the end. 

He threw his head back with a huff. "I can't say this stuff out loud to anyone, goddammit!” he exclaimed to no one in particular as the waves clashed on the side of the ship. 

“You’ll be fine,” a voice said behind him and Sabo turned with a shriek, to which he would never admit if asked. 

“Koala!” he exclaimed towards the ginger who only smiled at him widely. “How long have you been there for?” 

The girl laughed in her fist. “Long enough,” she said. “Don’t worry. I think it’s cute that you worry so much.”

Sabo felt heat creeping up his neck. “Who says I’m worrying?!” 

Koala smiled again, but this time it was a more sympathetic one. “Well then, we’ll dock in about ten minutes.” 

Sabo let out a gasp against his will as he began muttering under his breath the different greetings he had made up and the scenarios he had previously thought of. Koala shook her head fondly and let him to it. 

Half an hour later, Sabo was hiking up a very familiar path with Koala in tow at his request. He didn’t really want to barge in Dadan’s place alone and although he would never admit it, he found comfort in Koala’s presence. He wasn’t sure how Dadan and the others would react, if he was even welcome back after not being able to at least save Ace’s life. He was worried Dadan would be mad at him and that thought would not leave him no matter what he did. That’s why he kept making up scenarios after scenarios just so he would be ready no matter what happened. 

It didn’t take too long and soon, they could see the run-down shack that was once Sabo’s home. Taking a deep breath he walked forward not turning to question Koala who had stopped where she was, without advancing anymore. Outside there was a short guy taking off the laundry. A grin spread on Sabo’s face when he recognized the bandit. 

“Dogra!” Sabo shouted waving his hand. 

He jumped at being called and squinted his eyes at Sabo. “Who are you?” 

Sabo stopped walking. “Dogra, it's Sabo,” he said, taking off his hat. “Remember me?” 

Dogra was quiet for a few seconds before recognition kicked in and he suddenly fell on his back in shock. His eyes were widened, he looked terrified and he was trying to crawl away from Sabo. “That’s impossible! I saw your ship get blown up. You’re dead!” 

Sabo shook his head. “I’m not dead. I was saved from the explosion.” 

Dogra breathed heavily. He seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack. Sabo moved to help him, but stopped after Dogra’s scream. “Boss! Come here quick!” 

A few seconds later, the front door burst open and Dadan walked out. She hasn’t changed at all. The same bright hair and curls that Sabo didn’t know if they earned her the name or not. The same old, ugly and beaten face that many feared. In her hand she was holding a bottle of something. She didn’t seem to notice Sabo at first, only after she followed Dogra’s line of sight. 

“Dadan,” Sabo whispered as the woman knitted her eyebrows at being recognized.

“Huh? Who are you?” she asked chugging down some of the drink. “Are you after my head? Get lost, you brat. Find someone who is worth more! I’m not in the mood for this.” 

She turned to leave, but Sabo stepped towards her. “Wait,” he said as his eyes traveled over the two wooden barracks in front of the bandits’ house. They had Luffy and Ace’s name written on them. Suddenly, all the conversations Sabo had made up, vanished.

“Did they build this?” Sabo asked just as she turned to face him again. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Ace and Luffy. They built this, didn’t they?” 

“Huh?” Dadan exclaimed looking him up down. “How do you know them?” 

“Dadan,” Sabo said smiling softly at her. “It’s me, Sabo.”

For a second no one said anything, until Dadan finally seemed to make the connection and she dropped the bottle in shock. “Eh? That’s not possible! The kid’s dead!” 

Sabo shook his head. “I’m not dead. I survived.”

People began gathering in the doorway wanting to see what the fuss was all about. No one seemed to recognize him though. “I know I’ve been gone a while, but is it fine if come inside, to catch up?” 

No one said anything for a few moments in which Dadan stared at him trying to find familiarity on his scarred face. The other bandits however, never the patient ones began talking amongst themselves wondering and asking each other who this guy was. 

Sabo waited growing increasingly anxious. He didn’t know what Dadan’s reaction is going to be and while he was never the kind of person to worry about things outside of his control, he couldn’t help being afraid of her rejection. Sabo had left behind his biological mother a long time ago and Dadan was the only mother figure he cared about. Being turned away here would make him wonder if Luffy would turn him away as well and that was not a thought he wanted to entertain. 

For what seemed like forever Dadan said nothing and neither did Sabo. At some point, Dadan began stepping forward with furrowed eyebrows as if only now she found the resemblance. When she was close enough she raised her hands and gripped Sabo’s face turning it sideways to study the scar that has been part of him for most of his life. Sabo let her look him over and come to the conclusion on her own, but it was getting increasingly harder to sit still. It was now more obvious than ever how much time has passed. The last he remembered of Dadan, she was towering over him and while even now she stood at about a head higher than him the differences were obvious. 

Finally, Dadan let her arms fall to her sides and looking away, she sighed deeply. Sabo could smell alcohol from her breath and for the first time he realized how much she must have suffered as well. 

“Where were you, brat?” she asked, but any fire that Sabo might have expected was not there. She sounded weary and tired. “Luffy cried for days and Ace suffered probably the most out of all of us, even if he never admitted it.” 

Sabo felt tears sliding down his cheeks at the words, but he made no attempt to wipe them away. “I know,” he said, choking. 

“Ace died in Luffy’s arms, you know? I can’t imagine how he must be feeling right now,” Dadan continued her voice hard and powerful. 

“I know.” 

She turned to face him, seeing his tears for the first time. “You wanted to help them, didn’t you?”

That was not what Sabo had expected at all. He nodded once bringing his hand up to wipe his eyes. 

“I know what you meant to them and I know what they mean to you. I’m not blaming you for not saving Ace,” she continued and Sabo took in a harsh breath. At this point he had expected her to say anything, but this. “I know that if you could have been there, nothing would have stopped you. I just need to know. What happened to you? Where have you been? And why only come back now?” 

Sabo let his gaze fall to the ground. “I lost my memories. Everything about me, who I was, where I was from, just gone. After reading about… Ace in the paper everything came back to me. It was like some cruel irony of fate, that I only remembered my brothers when it was too late.” 

He barely finished speaking the words when he felt strong, warm arms enveloping him. For a second he only stood there, before he realized what was going on. Sabo wrapped his arms around Dadan, trying not to think about the hot tears falling on his neck, since it might make him cry as well. 

“It must have been hell for you, kid,” Dadan said hugging him tighter than anyone had ever hugged him. Maybe this was to reassure Sabo as much as Dadan herself. 

“Yeah, it sure wasn’t pleasant,” he replied shakingly having no control of the tears spilling once again. 

She pulled away after that, her face betraying nothing of the crying. “Luffy will be so happy to see you.”

The thought of his little brother brought a smile to Sabo’s face. “I can’t wait to meet him. He won’t be back for a while. But when he comes back, the world will be taken by storm.”

“It sure will. Luffy is a force to be reckoned with. To think he came this far from that little crybaby running around after Ace…” Dadan laughed wistfully and Sabo couldn’t help joining in. 

Footsteps got their attention and they both turned to see Koala approaching holding Sabo’s hat. He didn’t even realize he had dropped it to the ground. 

“See? I told you things will turn out just fine, Sabo-kun.” She smiled softly at Dadan. Sabo bowed his head slightly to allow her to place his hat back on his head as their small tradition dictated.

“What?!” Dadan exclaimed turning Sabo’s attention to her. He raised a questioning eyebrow. “You brought a woman? Are you married?”

Sabo widened his eyes as he glances at Koala. "Ha? No way! She is my partner! We're both in the Revolutionary Army!"

It was Dadan's turn to be surprised. "What? A revolutionary? Why can't I have one normal kid?" She only muttered the last part.

Sabo and Koala both laughed at her words. "Can you blame us? Look at who raised us!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

They all laughed some more and even the other bandits joined in. 

"Let's go in. We have a lot to catch up on," Dadan said and Sabo nodded. She began leading the way, but he waited for a few moments.

He turned towards Koala who had a knowing smile. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I guess… It's still a surreal thing. I was expecting to be yelled at and hit, not this." Sabo scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"They're your family, Sabo-kun. There's no way they wouldn't have understood."

Koala was right. She was _always_ right, though Sabo would never admit that to her. 

He nodded. "I'm just worried about Luffy now..."

She punched his arm softly. "Come on. From what you told me, he adores you. He'll be overjoyed."

Sabo didn't reply, still imagining his meeting with Luffy. It would be a long time from now, and though he could hardly wait, he figured there was no use worrying about it now.

Koala glanced at the house and jerked her head towards it. "We should probably go in. If we want to catch the meeting with Betty-san, we'll have to leave at sundown."

Sabo smiled and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this. If u did make sure u leave a comment or kudos as they literally give me life. Till next time! <3


	3. Opia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Opia:**The ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can simultaneously feel invasive and vulnerable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million thanks to [CM ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMBaggs/pseuds/CMBaggs) for beta-ing this even though she has 0 knowledge of One Piece. She helped me a bunch!! Anyway, enjoy!!!

Zoro opened the doors to the dining room and entered in silence, ignoring the glances of the other occupants of the room. He sat down at the table and scooped some of the prepared soup in his bowl. He brought a spoon to his mouth, eager to eat something after a long day. The soup tasted salty on his tongue and while it wasn’t as good as Curly Brow’s food he wasn’t complaining. 

“Horohorohoro! Did you get lost again? We are almost finished.” Perona’s shrill voice scratched his ears and Zoro put down the spoon with a grimace. 

“Did not!” 

Perona laughed again, but Zoro did not pay attention to her anymore. Instead he moved to scoop out some more soup for himself. He ended up eating the rest of the soup in the pot much to Perona’s dismay who yelled at him for not leaving anything else for tomorrow’s lunch. 

“Stop making food for us if you’re so mad when we eat it!” he exclaimed, already on his feet holding his swords, ready to leave the dining room. Perona huffed in annoyance but didn’t reply. She took her magazine and leaned back in her chair, signaling the end of the conversation. Zoro walked towards the door when he was interrupted.

“Roronoa,” Mihawk said abruptly and Zoro turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. “It’s enough. Go rest.” 

Zoro shook his head immediately understanding what Mihwak was referring to.. “It’s not enough,” he grunted. 

“You are still wounded. Until you are recovered you shouldn’t overexert yourself.” 

“I’m fine,” Zoro insisted even though he knew that wasn’t the case. The humandrills’ return left him with dozens of scratches and small wounds on his chest and arms. He wasn’t about to let that get in the way of his training.

“Sit down, Roronoa.” Mihawk moved the chair near his in invitation and Zoro had no choice but to sit. 

“What?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Mihawk took a sip from his wine glass and Zoro chewed on the inside of his cheek to refrain from saying anything. The ban on alcohol was really annoying to him and until he got Haki right he wouldn’t even get it back. Why did the bastard think he had the right to take away his booze?!

“What do you want?” he demanded.

“Can’t you shut up? I’m reading here!” Perona complained and Zoro glared at her. 

“If only you were actually reading! Those are just dumb pictures of ugly animals.” 

Perona gasped dramatically, hurling forward to grab Zoro by the collar and bring him to her eye level. “How dare you insult the Cute Bunny Wunny Comic? You’re going to pay for this!” 

She stood up. “Negative Hollow!” A ghost was projected flying towards Zoro. He was about to stand up and dodge when Mihawk cleared his throat and Perona stopped her ghost. 

He turned towards Zoro. “What is your reason for working so hard?” 

Zoro furrowed his brows. “To be the best,” he replied without hesitation, though he was a bit baffled by Mihawk’s question. 

Mihawk scoffed as if the reply was the most ridiculous thing he had heard. "That's not what I meant.” He paused. “Forget it. It is not any of my business anyway."

"No, no, you're right!” Perona chimed in. “This guy here is a simpleton."

"Hey!" 

"The only thing he can do right is train? But all we ever hear is 'be the best', 'beat him' and other stuff like that. However even an idiot like him must have a real reason, right?"

Zoro glared at her, gripping the table so hard his knuckles turned white. He wasn't about to accept these insulting words being thrown at him. "Listen here, you-"

"But I'm right!" she exclaimed, turning to face him. "So tell us! If we have to deal with you then at least let us know why!"

"Perona, that's enough," Mihawk said and Perona leaned back in her seat with a huff of annoyance. 

Zoro turned towards the other swordsman to give him a grateful look. He was about to stand and leave the room, but his whole body froze instantly. The other man’s golden gaze was fully on him. Those eyes were his namesake and while Zoro had been on the receiving end of those eyes multiple times, it was only now that he was starting to understand how truly striking they were. They seemed oddly curious as if Mihawk wanted to know the answer to his previous question.

At the same time they seemed to be staring into his soul. They were stripping him to the bone and nothing could stay hidden away from those eyes. Zoro suddenly had the urge to tell his entire life story right then and there.

He gripped Wado tighter, the feeling of the hilt in his hand comforting. The strange panic that went through him started to dissipate and his racing heart calmed down just a little bit.

Zoro nodded and tried to relax. He turned away from Mihawk and his eyes fixed on a grease spot on the table. Even though he still felt Mihawk glancing his way it was easier for him to focus on what he wanted to say. 

“It was a promise I made long ago to my rival. Her name was Kuina the only person I could never beat,” Zoro began, noticing Perona from the corner of his eyes sitting up straighter and leaning forward towards him.

“Two thousand and one battles, she won them all. At the end of our last one she made me promise that one of us had to become the best. Her father did not believe in her abilities as a swordsman and he said that because she is a woman, she will never succeed. She was afraid of his words being true, but she wanted to prove him wrong nonetheless.”

He stopped speaking unsheathing Wado watching his reflection on the blade, only to have something to do with his hands.

“What happened after? Did you duel her?" Perona asked Mihawk, her tone rushed.

"I didn't," he replied. "I surely would have remembered someone like that."

Zoro shook his head. “He didn't fight her. She died the very next day. Wado Ichimonji is her katana. I carry it with me along with her will.” 

It was silent after that. Even Perona did not speak which was a first. Mihawk was staring at his wine glass in thought, slowly swirling the drink. “So your resolve is made of promises?” 

Zoro didn’t hesitate.“That’s right.” 

“Promises to your rival, promises to your captain…”

He nodded.

Mihawk took another sip of his drink and put the glass down. He looked at Zoro who was now focused on the Warlord’s words and what he had to say next. 

"I understand. I assumed it was something like this, but now I can tell that this person has shaped you a lot. She sounded like an admirable opponent."

"She was," Zoro replied, finally loosening the grip on Wado. Mihawk nodded in acknowledgement, before picking up a book he previously left on the table, signaling the end of the conversation.

Zoro turned towards Perona who seemed deep in thought. She stared at him with squinted eyes and he felt annoyed again. 

"What?!"

"So even _you_ can be a romantic," she said, her tone of mocked realization.

"Shut up!" Zoro exclaimed, feeling beyond done with her antics. 

He reached for the bottle of wine on the table, hoping to catch Mihawk off guard. Without looking up from his book, he slapped Zoro's hand away.

"Aw, come on!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! Please tell me what you think! <3 Btw come join us on the fanfic writer server on discord!! [x ](https://discord.gg/pF9kfZA)


	4. Ellipsism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ellipsism:** A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay new chapter! As you noticed this one took a bit longer as I cried whenever I tried to write it. I hope you enjoy it!

“I’m sorry, Luffy. I couldn’t make it all the way, I’m sorry.” Ace’s voice was raspy and it was hard to breathe. 

Luffy was shaking in his arms. He was crying. Luffy has always been a crybaby, but Ace hated it when he cried. Some things never change, huh? 

“What are you saying? Don’t be ridiculous!” Ace could hear Luffy’s frantic breathing and his panicked movements as he searched for something in the crowd. His chest hurt, a kind of excruciating pain that Ace had never felt before. However, it was hard to pay attention to it when he knew how little he still had and how much he wanted to say. 

“Somebody treat him! Please save Ace!” Luffy was yelling, begging people to save him. 

Ace knew it wasn’t possible. He didn’t know exactly what was happening to his body, only that he didn’t have much longer. Before, the smell of burning flesh was almost unbearable. Now he could barely feel it. 

“It’s no use. I can tell that my life is ending,” Ace whispered. “I can’t hold on any longer so listen to me, Luffy.”

Luffy gasped softly in his ear. His voice was so weak and Ace could hear his brother’s fear. “What did you say? You promised me that you’d never die, no matter what. Ace!”

Ace remembered… A promise made on a cliff surrounded by the sea. Sabo’s letter had Luffy crying harder than Ace had ever seen him. Luffy begged Ace, the only brother he had left, to not die and leave him alone. Ace had called him an idiot then. How could he die before he proved himself to the world? 

But Ace had broken his promise. He never wanted Luffy to see him die. He never wanted to hurt him like that. 

“Yeah… If it wasn’t for Sabo and a little brother like you, I wouldn’t even have the will to live.” 

A particular moment stood out to him then. Luffy tied to a three and Sabo and Ace arguing over who would be the one to kill him. Luffy was scared out of his wits, crying and yelling. Who knew that after that, the three of them would end up becoming brothers. 

Other moments of his childhood flashed through his mind. Him and his brothers and sometimes Makino and Garp. Even Dadan appeared through them. Dadan…

“Oh… if you ever see Dadan someday, please say hello for me,” Ace said. He never thought that she would be one he would think about in his last moments. “When I face my own death I even miss a woman like her.”

“Like I said, don’t say you are going to die,” Luffy cried out and Ace’s heart broke. It was really hard to leave Luffy behind. 

He sighed, looking towards the battlefield. He hadn’t really noticed until now, but he couldn’t see all that well anymore. His vision was blurry and it hurt looking at light. Time was ticking and there were a lot of things he still wanted to say.

He tried to breathe in but stopped himself when the pain in his lungs amplified. He spoke in a low voice. “There is one thing that makes me want to stay. That is my desire to see you fulfill your dream. 

“But I’m sure you can do it, because you are my brother!” Ace couldn’t help the smile on his face. He knew Luffy would do it, even if he won’t be there to see him. For once, his little brother wasn’t alone. His crew would look after him and they won’t let him hurt for too long. 

The thought of his brother in good hands comforted him. And if there was really something up there then maybe Ace wouldn’t be alone either. Maybe he could find Sabo and the two of them could catch up. 

“Like we promised that day I have no regrets in my life.” He did everything he wanted to do, he saw everything he wanted to see, with the exception of one thing. But as he thought before, he wasn’t worried about that at all. 

“That’s a lie. Don’t lie!” Luffy yelled and Ace chuckled.

“I’m not lying. Something tells me that what I truly wanted was not fame,” he whispered, the one question he asked Garp all that time ago passing through his mind. “Was it good that I was born? All I wanted was the answer to that question.” 

He lived long enough to know the answer. With every feeling and every person he met he got closer to his answer. First all he knew was hatred for his worthless father who made him despise his own existence, then adoration for his mother who gave him her name and died so that he could have a chance at life. Luffy annoyed him to no end, but that irritation soon turned to affection and love. He was so frustrated when he first met Whitebeard who wouldn’t give up on him and while it took him a long time, he finally realized that he had been in the place that he had longed for. A place where he could belong just as he was.

He finally found his answer. For once in his entire life he decided that yes, it was good that he was born, he deserved to live. It was ironic that he had made that decision right before death. 

“Luffy, could you tell everyone what I’m about to say now? I can’t even raise my voice to let everybody hear me.” The pain faded a few moments ago and he had no energy left. He knew he didn’t have more than a few minutes. 

“Old man, everyone… and you, Luffy. Even though I’m so worthless, even though I carry the blood of a demon, thank you for loving me!” 

A knot formed in his throat as tears began sliding down his cheeks. He let out one weak sob before he turned the corner of his lips upwards. He wouldn’t cry in death. His muscles soon gave up, making Ace fall from his brother’s arms. The ground was hard and cold, but he didn’t feel it. 

He closed his eyes, slipping away bit by bit. The last thing he heard were Luffy’s cries of pain but he smiled. Because while there were a lot of things to hold onto in life, he would die with no regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think :3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed it make sure to leave a kudos or a comment, or both? :D 
> 
> [My tumblr :D](https://the-bucket-lover.tumblr.com/)


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